All About Diarrhea ~ Best Ways to Treat Diarrhea

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All About Diarrhea

And…Best Ways to Treat Diarrhea!
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Diarrhea is defined as suffering from abnormally loose and watery stools for 3 or more times in a day. Diarrhea can be mild or severe. Once afflicted with diarrhea, it takes around 2 – 3 days to recover completely with medication. For mild cases of diarrhea, it may not be necessary to take any medication at all. This illness is very common; some get afflicted once or twice a year.
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Severe diarrhea lasts for a short period of time: a day or two. If it last for more than 4 – 5 days, it can be lead to serious issues. At times, it can be fatal.
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Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses for which people seek medical guidance. On average, there are around 2 billion cases of diarrhea per year year worldwide. About 1.9 million children under the age of 5 die every year due to diarrhea in developing countries.
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Diarrhea is often misunderstood as the frequent passing of motion. However, only when the motion is loose and watery can it be categorised as Diarrhea.
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Both children and adults can fall victim to diarrhea. People who frequently travel to developing countries are prone to getting traveler’s diarrhea which is caused by consuming adulterated food and water.

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Facts about Diarrhea:
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Diarrhea is the passing of abnormally loose and watery stools
The infection can be acute, persistent or chronic
Diarrhea is commonly caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites
Diagnosis of Diarrhea is mostly done clinically by the doctor
Stool test is also suggested whenever required
The main objective of treating Diarrhea is to reduce dehydration by consuming sufficient liquids
Medicine for diarrhea help control the motions
Zinc supplements are normally prescribed for children along with other medicines
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Classification of Diarrhea:

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Diarrhea can be broadly classified into 3 types based on its duration:
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Acute diarrhea lasts for a shorter period of tim, which can range from a day to fewer than 14 days. Normally a person will have abnormal watery motions at least 3 times in a day. If the motions are bloody together with being loose, it is called as dysentery.
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Persistent diarrhea lasts for more than two weeks but fewer than four weeks
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Chronic diarrhea lasts for more than four weeks.
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Causes of Diarrhea:

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The most common cause of diarrhea is infection of the gut by a virus, bacteria or parasite. Other causes include;
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Diabetes
Alcohol addiction
Infection of the stomach and small intestine
Contaminated food or water
Certain medicines
Hyperthyroidism
Some cancers
Radiation therapy
Operation of the digestive system
Some people get diarrhea through excessive running which is also called as runner’s diarrhea
From certain viruses like flu or rotavirus, the latter being one of the major reasons of acute diarrhea in children
Food allergies and sensitivity after ingestion of certain foods

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Diarrhea may sometimes lead to constipation especially for those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In many developed countries, IBS is the most common cause of functional diarrhea. Diarrhea is categorised as functional diarrhea when it cannot be described by any structural abnormalities.
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IBS is diagnosed by studying the symptoms and discarding the other possible problems. In IBS, the person experiences cramps, abdominal pain and unusual bowel movement.
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the causes of chronic diarrhea. In this case, the person also passes blood and pus in the motions.
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Symptoms of Diarrhea:

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Diarrhea is in itself a symptom that is caused by abnormal loose and watery motions. This infection may be accompanied by other symptoms like:
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Stomach pain
Cramps in the abdomen
Urge of drinking water
Weight loss
Bloating of stomach
Nausea
Urgent feeling of passing motions

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Certain symptoms may be signs of more serious infections which can be;

Blood or pus in the motions
Continuous Vomiting
Fever

During diarrhea one must consume lot of liquids to replace the lost fluids of the body, if not it can lead to dehydration. And this can be serious if not treated on time especially for children, older adults and people with a weak immune system.
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When should one consult the Doctor?

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Diarrhea is not always serious, but one must consult the doctor in the following cases.

Blood in the motion
Motions that are black in color
Dark Urine or lesser flow of urine
Fever more than 102 degrees and which lasts for more than a day
Diarrhea lasting for more than 2 days
Nausea and vomiting which resist replacement of fluids in the body that is lost due to continuous motions
Acute abdomen pain and cramping
Travelers’ Diarrhea
Increased heart rate
Headaches
Dry skin
Irritability

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In children parents much consult the doctor immediately especially for newborns and infants.
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Diagnosis & Tests for Diarrhea:

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In cases of Diarrhea the doctor will first study the patient by making a note of the medical history and also asking certain questions like;

When was the issue first observed
How many times in a day is the bowel movement
The type and volume of bowel movement
Whether there is loss of blood with motions
And if there is nausea and vomiting

Doctors will also check if the patient is having dehydration, since diarrhea can be life threatening when it is accompanied by dehydration. So these cases need immediate and proper treatment.
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Since many a times Diarrhea can be diagnosed clinically and it gets cured with time and is not very harmful, the doctor does not suggest any test. But in cases where diarrhea is acute or chronic the doctor will suggest stool or blood sample to be tested.

For acute diarrhea patients, Microscopy will check the bacteria or parasites in the sample. There will also be a check of white blood cells in the stools, the bacteria causes WBC to appear in the stools. Culture test is also done at time with the stool sample.
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For Chronic Diarrhea the tests will be suggested based on the symptoms which include;

Blood count to for those with anemia or increased platelet count
Liver function tests
Test for calcium, vitamin B12, iron status and thyroid functions
Celiac disease test for checking antibodies
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Treatment

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For mild cases of Dehydration there may not be any need of any medicines and one can also go for over the counter medicines which are easily available in the form of liquids or tables. It is important that the individual taking these medicines follows the instruction mentioned on the label.
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Diarrhea is normally treated by replacing the lost fluids from the body to prevent dehydration. An adult should drink fluids in the form of water, fruit juice without pulp or soda, salty broths, sports drinks, tea with honey. It is advisable to consume fluids between meals rather than having it with meals.
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Foods that are suggested for diarrhea patients;

High potassium foods and liquids – diluted fruit juices, peeled potatoes and bananas
High sodium food – broths, soups and salted crackers
High soluble fibre content to thicken the motions – rice, banana, oats etc.

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Avoid foods that are fried and sugared, caffeine in tea, coffee and soft drinks and some headache medicines. Other few items that can worsen the diarrhea infection are;

Mints, sugar free chewing gums, prunes and cherries.
Fructose in fruit juices, soft drinks, grapes, honey, dates, figs, nuts etc.
Lactose in milk products
Magnesium

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An oral Rehydration solution (ORS) is recommended for adults and children to replace the water and electrolytes lost with the loose motions. Different ORS solutions are available in the market at reasonable rate.
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Zinc supplements are prescribed for children for around 2 weeks to reduce the impact of the infection and avoid diarrhea for another 2 – 3 months.
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Antibiotic medication is provided to patients who are infected with diarrhea due to bacteria.
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The rectal portion may become sore due to the continuous loose motions and some people also experience itchiness, burning sensation and pain. For getting some relief it is advisable to take hot water bath and with a soft towel pat the area dry without rubbing. One can also apply a cream suggested by the doctor or petroleum jelly on the affected area.
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Prevention of Diarrhea:

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Prevention of diarrhea is more difficult in developing countries due to the unhygienic living conditions and contamination of food and water. The following steps can be taken to avoid diarrhea:

Drink filtered or bottled water always and if one is using tap water the water should be boiled well before use
Washing of hands before and after eating food, passing motions, after cleaning a child who has passed motions
Hygienic practices
Educational programs to create awareness of the causes and prevention methods
Vaccination – There are vaccines available for two types of diarrhea viz. Rotavirus and travelers’ diarrhea. Rotavirus is a part of the vaccine schedule for children in many countries. This vaccine is given to children in 2 – 3 doses.
Travelers’ diarrhea can also be prevented by being careful of the food and water consumed. It is advisable to always eat at hygienic places to avoid any kind of infections.
Avoid eating fruits and vegetables that are not peeled or washed
Eat only fully cooked food

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Author Bio:

Matt Bailey is a noted writer, content marketer and Social Strategist at FindaTopDoc. Find a best Local Doctor by Specialty and Insurance.
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